“Shorting connectors” are electrical connectors that include shorting systems and may be used where it is necessary to short a circuit upon disconnection from another circuit. For example, shorting connectors may be used in current monitoring circuits that include current transformers or in an airbag activation circuit. However, many existing shorting connectors are at risk for inadvertently shorting at the wrong time during connection or disconnection of the electrical circuits because of mechanical failure in the moving parts of the shorting system of the electrical connector. Inadvertently shorting at the wrong time may damage a connected power supply requiring repair and potential replacement of the power supply.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,971,568 or the “'568 patent” discloses an electrical connector assembly with attachment for automatically shorting select conductors upon disconnection of a connector. The shorting system of the '568 patent uses elongated arms that bend to contact a pin of the connector when it is disconnected from a receptacle. However, as the arms move back and forth, they may become lodged against a pin causing a short at the wrong time or may break over time and extended use.
The present invention is directed to overcome one or more of the problems as set forth above.